Church property sale
concerns residents
Two-acre tract on
Second Street sold by Diocese of Trenton
RUMSON — The Second Street property that was once home to a Roman Catholic Church has been sold. While the Diocese of Trenton, which made the sale, isn’t saying who the buyer is, the mayor and Borough Council assured nervous neighbors a zoning change to permit commercial development at the site is not on its agenda.
A number of area residents attended last week’s council meeting to express their concern over the future of the property.
According to some of the residents, the borough has been abuzz with rumors of what will happen to the roughly 2-acre property now that it has been sold.
"We love our town, and we want to keep it just the way it is," Virginia Moss of Second Street told the governing body.
"The council is not going to rezone that particular area," Mayor Charles S. Callman said. "Personally, I’d like to see the church stay there."
Since the property was put up for sale, there had been a lot of speculation about its future. Some residents said they heard that a bank or possibly business offices would be built there.
But the area is zoned primarily for residential use, though some other uses, such as a house of worship, would be permitted.
Callman explained, though, that while the council had no intention of amending the ordinance to permit commercial use, any property owner can apply to the borough’s Zoning Board of Adjustment to be allowed a nonpermitted use.
"They have to go through the process," the mayor said.
Callman also told the audience that despite what he and the council may think about what should be done with the property, the decision rests with the Zoning Board, the appointed panel that is charged with granting or denying applications for variances from the borough’s land use ordinance. The church property is in an R-5 (residential lots of at least 6,000 square feet) zone that permits only homes to be built.
Borough Attorney Martin M. Barger added that if someone wanted to develop the property for commercial use, the zoning board would have to grant a use variance, which requires at least five of the seven board members to vote in favor of the application.
"That’s usually very tough to get," Barger explained.
Callman also urged residents to attend the public board meetings and let their feelings be known if an application involving the property were to be filed.
Moss thanked the mayor and council for expressing what support they are permitted to show.
"We didn’t know which way to proceed. That’s why we’re here before the mayor and council," she said. "We want it to be known we’re against it and let the buyer beware."
In 1923, the building on the property was constructed as a mission church owned by Holy Cross Church and administered by the diocese, according to the Rev. Joseph Hughes, pastor of Holy Cross.
About five years ago, the diocese decided to close the church because of the escalating cost of the general upkeep and because of a shortage of priests, Hughes said.
"We decided to concentrate all of our energy on Holy Cross," he said.
Hughes acknowledged that the church has accepted one of the four bids it received for the property, but he declined to comment further.
"It was the church’s concern that it be sold to a reputable person," he said. "The people who bid are well aware of the zoning."